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In The Awakening, the main characters live in a society obsessed with reputation. Mr. Pontellier in particular carries this obsession out to unhealthy ends – he becomes more concerned about his reputation than about his marriage, and is willing to put good money on it. To have a good reputation in The Awakening, however, is not necessarily viewed as being synonymous with having a good character.
Questions About Respect and Reputation
- Who cares the least for his or her reputation? Who cares the most? Why?
- What are the various ways we see in the text that a woman can lose her "good reputation"? How many of them did Edna hit?
- Is reputation a true reflection of character in The Awakening?
- What defines a person’s reputation in The Awakening?
- How does Edna’s reputation evolve over the course of the novel?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Edna’s reputation shifts from good to bad over the course of The Awakening, but in return she gains a better sense of self.